Factors shaping the diet of parents with infants on NICU
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigation of the nutritional knowledge of healthy eating, dietary habits, enablers and barriers to healthy eating and nutritional status of parents who have preterm infants on the neonatal intensive care unit.
IRAS ID
290100
Contact name
Janet Berrington
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 4 days
Research summary
Summary of Research
Parental attendance and engagement with the care of their premature infant on the neonatal intensive care unit is vital for favourable medical, developmental and nutritional outcomes for the child. Breast milk is universally recognised as the best form of nutrition for premature infants. Certain nutrients vital for brain and retinal development in breast milk are dependent on maternal intake as are selected micronutrients such as selenium and iodine. This study will look at the maternal knowledge of dietary recommendations for breast feeding mothers and compliance, dietary habits of parents with neonates on the intensive care unit, barriers and facilitators to parents following a healthy diet while resident on the neonatal intensive care unit and impact on parental weight and BMI of having an infant on the neonatal intensive care unit. Parents of neonates who consented to participate would be approached to complete a 3 day food diary which would be analysed using dietary analysis software. Six parents at both ends of the healthy eating spectrum (as determined by the food dairies) would be invited for a recorded semi-structured qualitative telephone interview which would be transcribed and analysed to determine common themes (12 interviews in total). Participating parents would be asked to complete a further food diary and have their weight and BMI monitored fortnightly for the 6 weeks of the study.Summary of Results
The families of preterm infants should be partners in care with the team on the neonatal unit. The parents’ role in securing optimal medical, nutritional, and developmental outcomes for these patients is clear and requires them to spend long periods of time with their infant. The nutritional wellbeing of parents and factors that shape their dietary choices have not been explored and are the focus of this study.
Method
Qualitative semi structured interviews were conducted with parents of infant on the neonatal intensive care unit in the North of England (n=4). The interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was conducted independently by 2 researchers.
Results
The thematic analysis identified four main themes. The four main themes were Knowledge of healthy eating and health benefits, Change in priorities, Impact of hospitalisation, and Support helps parents make healthy choices.
Conclusion
The participants demonstrated knowledge of healthy eating but struggled to consume a healthy diet in the acute hospital setting and recognised a negative impact on their nutritional wellbeing. Their eating behaviours were shaped by a desire to minimise separation from their infant, financial and time pressures and the hospital environment in terms of catering offering, rules and regulations, self-catering facilities and rules regarding food and drink consumption/storage in hospital. Practical, wider family support was seen as a facilitator to a balanced diet. The study highlights the need for hospitals to review their catering offerings, pricing and marketing of healthy options, ward based self-catering facilities for parents and recognise the financial burden and priorities of families of infants who may experience lengthy hospital admissions.REC name
Wales REC 3
REC reference
21/WA/0085
Date of REC Opinion
9 Apr 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion